Elysian Études
by Dalwynn
Summary: A series of vignettes highlighting those sweet moments that make the rest of life worth it. Special thanks to MustangMel for beta-ing


**Afternoon Delight**

A gentle breeze blew through the waves of corn that filled Edward's farmland, planted with care in neat rows. The summer sun beat down on the land from the clear sky. It's rays fell upon the farmer and his crop, causing sweat to form on his brow. The man removed his broad-brimmed hat, and wiped the moisture from his face with a rag, which he stuffed into his back pocket. The land had been in his family for generations, and he had been tending to it since he was old enough to walk. The land had passed to him nearly 20 years ago when his parents passed away in an accident. Some of his relatives had thought he was too young to be responsible for the family's land, but he had proven them wrong, found the love of a good woman, even had several children of his own. The heavy tractor rumbled along as he pulled along an empty wagon back towards the barn beside his home.

In the corner of his eye the farmer caught movement. He brought the machine to a stop, turned from his seat and saw a small furry creature. It's long ears stood straight up, and it's beady black eyes scanned all around for danger. The rabbit's nose wrinkled as it chewed on something.

 _Hopefully it's just a weed,_ Edward thought. The farmer watched the deep brown creature, considering it's presence in his field. The rodents were an ever present nuisance, and no farmer could hope to rid their land completely of them. But he also knew that letting the pests roam unchecked would be trouble down the line. More rabbits meant more damaged crops. It also meant more predators coming along and endangering his livestock. He replaced his hat and glanced at the horizon.

 _Still_ , he thought, _such a nice day_.

Edward looked back at the rabbit. It had risen to it's hind legs and seemed to catch his gaze. It was too hot of a day to go mucking about setting traps. _Another day wouldn't hurt a thing. Let the critter go,_ he debated with himself. There were plenty of things he'd rather be doing than chasing rodents today.

The farmer glanced down at his watch and smiled. It was about time to break for lunch, though a thought crossed his mind. Hanging off a hook at his side was his lunch bag. Prepared and packed by his wife, it contained a large sandwich and some coffee in a thermos. He'd normally stop just long enough to have his lunch, if not work completely through his meal. Edward smiled, turned the tractor around, and headed back towards the barn.

When he reached the structure the farmer turned off the engine and grabbed his lunch bag. With a spryness befitting a significantly younger man he jumped from the tractor. Having successfully landed without breaking anything, he sauntered, smiling, over to the house.

As he entered, he could hear the sounds of shuffling in the kitchen. He poked his head around the corner and saw Bella, "Hey hun." He said, with a smile on his face, and stepped into the doorway.

The woman jumped, and spun around to face the voice. The initial shock instantly turned to recognition, then to confusion, "Well what are you doing here? Work done for the day?" She raised an eyebrow, smiling at her husband.

Her deep brown hair was tied back in a utilitarian ponytail. Recently she had begun to notice the barest hints of grey begin to show, and though she fretted about them often, Edward never paid no mind to them. It was her eyes that he inevitably focused on when he spoke with her. Though crow's feet had started to appear around them, Bella's hazel eyes were as bright and sharp as the day he first met her when they were in high school. They were unlike the dark brown irises of his own. She wore an apron over her shirt and jeans, red flowers were printed over it's front. Several stain and burn marks along it's length marked it's weathered condition.

"Lunch time." He responded, and she tilted her head.

"Worked up an appetite? What I gave you wasn't enough?" She wiped her hands clear with a small towel which she then replaced in the front pocket of her apron.

"I was actually thinking we do something else for lunch."

"Oh? And what's that?" Her eyebrow rose once again. Noticing his expression, she continued, her voice incredulous, "What's got that dumb grin on your face?"

"Let's you and me have a picnic." He smiled, and leaned against the door frame.

"What? What are you talking about?" Bella turned back to open a cabinet and withdraw a cutting board.

"Out by the pond, it's such a nice day."

"Come off it," She rolled her eyes, "There's too much to do." Bella motioned around vaguely at the kitchen counter. There were numerous vegetables and a chicken ready to be dressed and prepared for dinner.

Edward stepped toward the woman, and put his arm around her. His palm pressed against the small of her back, "It'll keep. When's the last time we had some time to ourselves? Kids are at school. Animals are fed, crops are growing. Come on, we don't need anything fancy. I'll help."

The brunette rolled her eyes, looking away from her husband for a moment. She looked back at him, a flash of youthful mischief in her hazel irises, "All right, hun. Could be fun." She pressed her lips suddenly against his in a quick peck before stepping away. She undid her apron and with Edward's help cleared the counter, loading the partially prepared food into the fridge. They gathered together a simple lunch of bread, cold cuts, and fruit, which they packed into a basket, along with Edward's already prepared lunch. Finally, Edward found and took along a large red blanket.

The pair left their home through the back door, heading for the worn footpath to the edge of a large pond behind their house. The husband and wife stepped over stones and tree roots to reach a patch of grass near the edge of the body of water. They laid the blanket down underneath the scant shade of a large, looming elm tree. Dots of light filtered down through the foliage. The gentle breeze caused the branches to sway, and the light danced over the patterned blanket as the couple settled down and began their lunch.

Edward told Bella about the rabbit he saw earlier, and she told him they needed to set some traps so the rodents didn't overrun the farm. He chuckled at her suggestion, agreeing with it, but qualified it by saying that it was a task for another day. They discussed the children, now at school, and how they were doing. The conversation led the couple into reminiscing their own school days.

They recalled old friends; commenting that they should get in touch with some they had not seen in years, while agreeing to keep that distance going for others. They shared memories of group events and dates they had shared. They told jokes they had each heard hundreds of times but still laughed heartily and genuinely. The shade offered some protection from the heat of the day, but the temperature was undeniable.

Soon enough, with their lunch eaten, Bella sat herself up and looked out toward the pond, watching the gentle ripples across it's surface. Edward watched his wife, her tied hair swaying like the leaves above them.

"I want to swim." She said, looking over at her husband.

It was Edward who raised an eyebrow then, "Aren't you not supposed to swim after eating?" He joked, but she rolled her eyes. He added, "Well, we didn't bring any swimsuits."

The brunette flashed a grin, "Wouldn't have stopped us in high school." She rose from the blanket, and stepped out of her shoes. Before he could respond, she hooked her fingers under the hem of her shirt, and pulled the material over her head. She tossed it at Edward's head, and when he pulled it off him, she was already shimmying out of her jeans. She stood in mismatched underwear under the dancing points of light. Her skin was paler where it had been hidden under her clothes, and while he could see her body had changed over the many years they had spent together, the hard days of work and the children she had borne, he still saw the graceful swimmer he had fallen in love with so long ago.

She winked down at him, and reached back to undo her bra. Edward reached up and unbuttoned his shirt, hurrying to catch up with his wife. Their clothes were tossed onto the blanket, virtually forgotten as Bella stood, now naked and giggling. The brunette reached behind her head and pulled the tie that kept her hair up. The strands fell about her shoulders, framing her face in deep brown tresses. She stepped backwards, carefully entering the water.

Edward remembered once seeing a painting somewhere. It was probably a picture of a painting, as the farmer had never been in an art gallery of any kind. It was a woman standing in the surf of a beach. She had had flawless pale skin, long and flowing red hair, and youthful, perky breasts. He would take Bella over her in a second.

The brunette blushed as she stepped deeper into the water, just as Edward stripped off the last of his clothes. The farmer had never been much of an athlete, but Bella certainly was. She turned and dived into the water. Back in high school, she had been on the swim team, and though it had been well over a decade since she swam in any sort of competition, Bella still moved gracefully in the water, as confident in her ability as a fish.

Quite unlike Edward. The man splashed into the water after his wife, and swam out to her, sending water every which way as his limbs slapped the surface clumsily. She moved like a knife through the water. Her head would break the surface, appearing suddenly beside him, splashing water at him and giggling before disappearing under the surface. The pair splashed at each other, calling out and laughing in the sun-warmed water.

Their play eventually and naturally evolved into a game of chase. Edward would follow Bella, trying to catch her. The woman was clearly more than a match for him, however, and swam literal circles around him. The farmer was amazed how she could move as she did. At one point, he thought that he nearly had her. He dove under the surface and had his arms out to catch her just as she was about to pass. He saw her grin, her face shimmering with fragmented sunlight filtering through the water. Her eyes caught that familiar mischievous flash, as though she were the one who had caught him, and not the other way around. She curled up into a ball and as he neared to close his arms around her, her feet thrust out, the soles planting against his chest. With a hard shove she kicked off of him, using his torso as a springboard to propel herself away from him and leaving him empty handed.

Bella swam back towards the shore, a wide grin on her face. She climbed up the shore and toward the blanket. With a hop she turned to face the pond and plopped down on the blanket. Edward splashed out of the water, breathing heavily, his muscles burning from the sudden exercise. She laughed at him as he approached, eventually dropping to his knees on the blanket.

He placed his hands on her knees and, through labored breaths, said, "Got you!"

Bella giggled, "Only because I let you!"

The pair laughed and he leaned forward. She moved toward him as well and they pressed their lips together. Her hand rose to his cheek, and her fingers slipped into his hair, caressing the back of his still-wet head. The pair kissed several times, breaking only momentarily, so that they could meet once again. Their tongues met in brief dances, each of them tasting the other, the sensation tinted with the coffee from Edward's thermos that they recently imbibed.

Bella leaned back slowly, and Edward followed. Soon she was on her back, and her fingers ran through his wet hair as they continued to kiss. The man felt himself stiffen, and he broke the kiss. It was not long before they were pressed against her once again. First they planted upon her chin, then her throat. He felt her body move under him, her chest expanding in a sudden intake of breath. Next he kissed her chest, her breast, her belly, before finally settling between her legs.

Without a further thought, he kissed her sex, and felt rather than saw her body expel the air within her lungs, as a small moan escaped her lips. His tongue slipped out from his mouth and licked her vulva, covering the slit of her lips in a single, broad stroke, before lashing it with quick swipes along her entrance.

Bella began to squirm under the tender attentions. The woman reached downward and placed one hand upon her lover's head. She let her fingertips run over his scalp. In response, his arms wrapped around her thighs. His warm hands pressed against her delicate inner thighs and caused her to tingle along her legs. Bella looked down her body at Edward. His eyes were closed, engrossed as he was in his actions. The brunette reached up with her free hand and grasped her breast. Her fingers dug into the soft flesh, and kneaded it slowly, in time with Edward's tonguing.

Her hips undulated, and she felt her excitement build. Her moans rang out, joining birdsong off in the distance, but Edward knew which he would rather hear more of.

Bella's hand suddenly put pressure on Edward's head, pushing him back. He opened his eyes and looked upward. Their eyes met and he rose, unraveling his arms from her thighs. Her hazel eyes dropped down his body, stopping at his erect member. Bella looked back up to meet Edward's eyes, and without a word passing between them, the farmer could tell what his lover wanted.

He leaned forward, and took hold of his manhood, positioning the slick head at her entrance. She bit her lower lip, and as he pushed into her passage, her brows furrowed, and a soft moan escaped her lips. Bit by bit he filled her, his eyes closing as he relished the tightness enveloping him, until his hips met hers, and his length was buried within her.

The pair, now joined, held still for a moment. His eyes opened and met her gaze. They sized each other up, their breathing heavy, their bodies becoming once again familiar with each other. She wrapped her arms around his neck, while his hands found the back of her knees. The former pulled while the latter pushed, and the result was the pair pressed against one another, grinding and rubbing. His member pushing in completely, and withdrawing partially in a steady cycle.

Their moans sounded into each others ears as they made love. Together they built their arousal, the slow, steady strokes allowed them to feel each movement in detail. Every bump, every ridge was savored.

Edward's hands left Bella's knees, and reached downward to the ground. His body lowered, pushing the brunette's legs further back, enough to allow his hands to slip under her back. In a sudden move, which surprised Bella, and caused her to grip her lover tighter, Edward rolled the both of them over, swapping positions. Now upon his back, Bella was on top. She quickly recognized the change, and her arms loosened. She rose upward, straightening into a seated position, straddling the farmer. With the new position, she felt him even deeper within her.

Bella began to rock her hips back and forth, looking down at Edward. His dark brown eyes shot up to her. She noted how they twinkled in much the way they did when they were dating. He had a smile on his face as he gazed, and she blushed. She fought the urge to cover herself. She felt as though she were on display, which at any other time, she would have reviled. But here, with him, it was what she wanted most of all.

His hands rested on her thighs, moving along with her rocking. His hips rose up in time with hers, for several cycles she rode him, holding a steady level of arousal. She felt one of his hands slip from her thigh, his fingertips running over her mons, and stopped under her lips, directly in front of the point of their connection. His fingers began to rub her, the tips intermittently sliding over her clitoris. Edward massaged the sensitive spot in small circular movements. Her brow furrowed as the touch jump-started the building within her once again.

Bella leaned forward, pressing her hands against Edward's chest, and in doing so, squeezing her breasts together. She lifted her hips up slightly, then suddenly dropped down upon him, creating the telltale slapping sound of wet flesh upon wet flesh. What it also elicited was a curse from Edward's hips. The word was fuel to Bella, and she rose once again, dropping down upon his member, and impaling herself.

The woman bounced again and again relentlessly. She reached down, replacing his hand with her own. The brunette rubbed urgently, feeling a desperate need within her. Edward's hand, at this point out of a job, reached up to caress her breast, fondling her as much as he could from his position. His hips thrust upwards as she dropped down, sending small shockwaves of pleasure up through his lover.

Her fingers, coated in her juices, slid easily over herself as she rubbed and rode. A thought struck her suddenly, and she pulled her hand away, and brought her slick fingers to his lips. He did not require a command, and instead opened his mouth to take in her digits. He suckled upon them, tasting his wife and enjoying it contentedly.

The brunette bit her lip, her eyes flashing with lust as she watched him eagerly take in her slick fingers. Eventually, she decided she needed them back, and withdrew them, now glistening with his saliva rather than her love juices. She began to rub herself once again, and renewed her bouncing efforts. Her moans increased in intensity as they slammed into one another.

She felt him swell within her. Lightning shot up Edward's spine, and he knew he is nearly at his fall. Her bounces became shorter, harder, faster, and she felt herself tighten. Her brow was furrowed, and she moaned a final time; her fingers, her bouncing, and his manhood drove her over the edge. As she climaxed her walls tightened, squeezing his swelling, throbbing member, and together they orgasmed.

He erupted within her, releasing his seed in thick spurts. Their bodies tensed up together as they rode the waves of pleasure. Soon, their bodies relaxed, exhausted from their impromptu swim and lovemaking. Bella lowered herself to lay down upon her husband. Their lips pressed together and, wordlessly, they embraced. Still joined, the pair was careful not to move excessively, as they both were still sensitive.

The couple remained upon their blanket, and held one another under the dancing light sifting through the leaves above them. It was not until nearly an hour later that the pair decided to leave their picnic. They stole glances at one another as they packed up. Neither seemed eager to dress once again, and so that became the last thing they did. Together, with their blanket bundled up under Edward's arm, they walked back along the footpath to their home. They did not speak, but held hands the entire way. The stolen glances continued until they reached the door. At one point their gazes locked, and they each grinned and looked away.

Bella took the blanket from her husband, slipped it under her arm, and kissed Edward. Her eyes flashed that youthful light that Edward both hoped and believed would never leave her.

The pair parted, going their separate ways. Bella into the house, and Edward back to the tractor. Both smiled to themselves, and restarted their respective work, though now with a definite lightness that would carry them through the rest of their day.


End file.
